Woman wounded in standoff dead

By Randal Seyler

Published: Friday, January 4, 2013 at 03:18 PM.

Washington County Sheriff Bobby Haddock was able to reach Loflin by telephone and during a 15-minute conversation attempted to convince her to relinquish her weapon to authorities, according to the release. Loflin was adamant that any attempt by law enforcement to come near her home would result in her firing on both officers and subsequently herself, according to the sheriff’s office report.

Haddock was able to convince Loflin to accept a phone call from McKeithen, who was on scene at the time. McKeithen was able to speak to her for about an hour. During this time, she remained armed on the porch of her residence, according to the report.

Following this conversation, Bay County SWAT team fired a non-lethal round that struck Loflin and knocked her to the ground. She was able to recover and pointed her weapon in the direction of the SWAT team members. Officers with Bay County SWAT then fired at Loflin, according to the release. Loflin was then taken via Air Heart to Bay Medical in Panama City.

CHIPLEY — A Washington County woman wounded in a Dec. 4 standoff with law enforcement officers from the Bay and Washington County sheriff’s offices, as well as the Bay County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, died on Dec. 14, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Mary Ethel Loflin, 62, was shot and critically wounded in the standoff after she reportedly pointed a gun at a member of the SWAT team, officials said. The official cause of her death has not been released and is pending final autopsy results, said Mike Bates, director of operations for the District 14 Medical Examiner’s Office in Panama City.

Loflin’s remains were released to Brock’s Hometown Funeral Home of Callaway, Bates said. No memorial services have been scheduled, according to a funeral home spokesperson.

At 12:17 p.m. on Dec. 4, Washington County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the National Crisis Hotline in reference to a female caller who resided at 5463 North Blue Springs Road in southern Washington County, according to the sheriff’s office.

An officer with Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded and was met by Loflin, armed with a rifle in the front yard of the home, according to the sheriff’s office.

Loflin told the officer to leave the property. As the officer was leaving, Loflin fired two rounds in the direction of the officer, according to the release. The officer was able to re-enter his vehicle where he was able to request backup.

Officers with both Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Bay County Sheriff Office responded to the scene to assist the officer. Bay County SWAT responded as well as Bay County Sheriff Frank McKeithen.

Washington County Sheriff Bobby Haddock was able to reach Loflin by telephone and during a 15-minute conversation attempted to convince her to relinquish her weapon to authorities, according to the release. Loflin was adamant that any attempt by law enforcement to come near her home would result in her firing on both officers and subsequently herself, according to the sheriff’s office report.

Haddock was able to convince Loflin to accept a phone call from McKeithen, who was on scene at the time. McKeithen was able to speak to her for about an hour. During this time, she remained armed on the porch of her residence, according to the report.

Following this conversation, Bay County SWAT team fired a non-lethal round that struck Loflin and knocked her to the ground. She was able to recover and pointed her weapon in the direction of the SWAT team members. Officers with Bay County SWAT then fired at Loflin, according to the release. Loflin was then taken via Air Heart to Bay Medical in Panama City.